Berkeley is building a pop-up library from 50,000 books!

It may seem that physical books are going out of style, but this interactive art installation proves otherwise. Lacuna is a pop-up library whose very walls are constructed with 50,000 books. The organizers of the new Bay Area Book Festival teamed up with FLUX Collaborative to design and build a teepee-like wooden structure which will house books donated to the festival by the Internet Archive and provide a space for secluded reading.

This participatory installation will sit in MLK Civic Center Park for the duration of the festival. Visitors will be able to take books from the library‘s walls for free and provide a space for discussion and reflection. Twelve alcoves will be formed with pillars created out of stacks of books and will support the shelves.

The changing number of books will affect the environment and and the architecture, creating a continuous change in color, shape and lighting. This process of alternating construction and deconstruction will allow participants to see how their actions and choices affect public space. “Each person’s input and interaction becomes an integral, valued part of the collective story and experience of Lacuna.” In order to purchase materials, machinery, and pay for logistical costs of setting up and running Lacuna, the team organized an ongoing Kickstarter campaign.